Category: Real world

ProfitCenterCoach.com – E461 – Quit Living in an Echo Chamber

“Speak Freely”

Wednesday: Midweek Motivation

Yesterday I shared the power of Storytelling.  So using my own advice, let me share a story from a trip to DC!

 

“It’s OK, speak freely” said the retail clerk at the train station.  Instantly a huge wave of relief came over me.

Washington DC is an amazing city.  If you get the opportunity to visit, it’s a “must see” bucket list destination.  The monuments look just like they do on TV!  haha.

Seriously!

Have you ever had that experience of seeing a picture of a landmark “over and over”, for example, the Eiffel Tower or Central Park, and then you visit and think WOW it’s just like in the movies!

Side note: the Eiffel Tower was MUCH bigger than I thought it would be. I’m not sure why I thought it would be small, but it’s really really big, something to stay awake for!

My other observation is that Central Park is full of hills!  You know when you see the crime show and they find the body in Central Park, it’s always in a flat area… yeah, that’s total fiction, the park is all hills! Some are really big, too!

OK back to the train station.  Back in 2010 I was buying Benjamin Franklin’s “Common Sense” it’s a small pamphlet written in the 1700s.  I thumbed through it and knew I had to buy it.  You should read it.  I was amazed the words are as relevant today as when it was written nearly 300 years ago.

The gal took my credit card and made a comment about the book, and I started to answer, then I caught my tongue.  She looked at me and said, “speak freely”.

It was refreshing.  Not just that it was OK to give an opinion but that she wanted to hear the opinion.

I think we have forgotten this skill.

Please. Speak Freely.

PS:  don’t worry that if you share your opinion that you’ll lose a sale and go out of business.  People will disagree with you!  It’s OK.  This ties in to building a tribe of people that know and like you.  Let’s not be disrespectful. Please listen with your ears, not your mouth.  If you shout someone down you’ll find yourself isolated in an echo chamber.  Our goal with the Infinity Marketing machine is to attract people that like us, that’s totally different from attracting people like us.

#doinginfinity

Tomorrow… come back for my episode on “Infinity Customers”!
PS:  Like my vibe? I want you to join my tribe! start here! 

 

Infinity Marketing Machine Daily Topics:
Monday – Character (Subject Matter Expert)
Tuesday – Content & Consistency
Wednesday – Midweek Motivation
Thursday – Infinity Customers
Friday – Big Money
Saturday – Try This!
Sunday – Week in Review

Advertisements
by Categories: 3- Wednesday - Midweek Motivation, Blog content, Business owner motivation, Content, marketing, Real world, Success tips, Tribe BuildingTags: , , , , Leave a comment

ProfitCenterCoach.com – E460 – Five is for Fire

“Storytelling is a powerful communication tool to get your message across.”

Tuesday: Content and Creation

 

Yesterday our Store Manager said, “Shoot… my assignment is due by 7pm”.  She’s in college… It was 3:00pm.  The assignment was for her Sign Language class.

The goal of the assignment is to take the numbers 1 to 10 and tell a story.  Oh, it had a twist.  The story she needed to create had to associate a word with a similar motion to the number… so it’s like a “one bun” “two shoe” rhyme, but in sign language, the signs look similar so it’s equally as memorable.

She was so stressed, then finally started telling the story of a cute fire fighter.  For example the number 5 is all fingers extended palm facing your nose.  To make the sign for fire you fan your finger in the motion of flames.  The more the story came together, the more excited she got!

Her story taught the numbers and it did it in a fun memorable way.  Her goal was to teach the numbers.  She had a goal and an outcome and she met her deadline.

Did you see what I did?  I told a story.

More important, for your content creation purpose, I taught you that having a goal and an outcome are important for your story.

Goal: teach the numbers in sign language.  Outcome: told a story.

When you want to teach your customers something.  Remember we’re always teaching.  We teach about our products/services.  The best way to teach is through story.

You just learned a creative way to create content via story telling AND you learned how to sign FIRE along with the number 5!

Today: create a post, but use a story.  Come up with your desired goal and outcome and wrap it in a nice little story to teach your customers!

#doinginfinity

Tomorrow… come back for my episode on “Midweek Motivation”!
PS:  Like my vibe? I want you to join my tribe! start here! 

Infinity Marketing Machine Daily Topics:
Monday – Character (Subject Matter Expert)
Tuesday – Content & Consistency
Wednesday – Midweek Motivation
Thursday – Infinity Customers
Friday – Big Money
Saturday – Try This!
Sunday – Week in Review

by Categories: 2-Tuesday - Content & Consistency, Blog content, Content, DoingInfinity, marketing, Real world, Success tipsTags: , , , Leave a comment

ProfitCenterCoach.com – Episode #459 – These Three Tips Improve Your Online Credibility, Today.

“Don’t find yourself. Create yourself.”

Monday: Character

Do you wait for things to happen to you or do you make things happen?

Today’s inspiration is all about your answer to this question.  If you wait for things to happen, you are not in control.  When it comes to creating yourself… you must be in control.

Here are three tips to gaining control with the image you present online.

1)  Linked In.  – Go into your profile and update!  Make sure to be creative.  This is your chance to show people what you’re made of!  Honors and awards need to be included, this is a vital avenue to character and showcasing that you are a Subject Matter Expert.

Now…. if you don’t have “awards” or have a unique field without awards, you can still build expertise in your followers.  This is why McDonalds has “billions and billions” served!  When I worked in college admissions I served on a scholarship committee… but does it sound better to say, “I’ve read over 1,000 scholarship applications”… be creative.

2)  Website – About Me.  Use this space to share who you are!  It’s similar to the Linked In profile – but different in that you want to share your personality.   Include photos and add recent “coolness” – You’ll include awards/honors and leadership activities — but you’ll also want to show your story.

Your story is what makes you… YOU.  Include how you developed your talents that brought you to open a business.  Let your readers understand who you are.  I said, “personality” earlier… and it’s important to show that side.  But story are the words that got you where you are today.

3)  Write something!  If you’re not up to a blog… yet… then at least come up with your big list of questions.  Start with one giant list.  It’s going to be related to one profit center.   Remember profit centers are areas of your business that generate income.  For our marina we have a boat club, winter storage, and a store.  They interrelate but they also stand alone!

So… take the time to write down every question you’ve ever been asked by a prospective client.  The reason this builds credibility is that people reading online will have those exact questions.  When they find the person that can answer their questions, they’ve found an expert.

There you go.  Three things to immediately build your character… that are not difficult to do today!

Sounds like you’ve got some work to do!  But it will be worth it to build your character – the first C of the Infinity Marketing Machine.

#doinginfinity

Tomorrow… come back for my episode on “Content & Consistency”!
PS:  Like my vibe? I want you to join my tribe! start here! 

 

Infinity Marketing Machine Daily Topics:
Monday – Character (Subject Matter Expert)
Tuesday – Content & Consistency
Wednesday – Midweek Motivation
Thursday – Infinity Customers
Friday – Big Money
Saturday – Try This!
Sunday – Week in Review

by Categories: 1-Monday - Subject Matter Expert, branding, Content, DoingInfinity, marketing, Real world, Success tips, Tribe BuildingTags: , , , , Leave a comment

ProfitCenterCoach.com – Episode#458 – Sell Air.

Saturday: Try This!

Can you charge extra for air?

Yesterday I received a box from Amazon.  Inside was the ink cartridge I ordered… and air pillows.

OK, I have no idea what they’re called.  Not bubble wrap… but those large pillows of air trapped in plastic that are no fun to pop.

Well, I was in the middle of stabbing them and realized my dad needed packing material for a box he was shipping… oops.

Well… I said, I can get some duct tape and blow them up.  Air is free!  He was not happy with me.  (one of the joys of working with family).  But…. it got me to thinking of a visit to a grocery store in Florida.

There was a great display area right by the entrance.  It was full of rafts and inner tubes… inflated!

What’s better than buying a tube?  Buying an inflated tube!  If you are fortunate enough to have a few moments to jump in the pool, do you want to spend any time inflating the raft?

Heck no!

But… it’s beyond exciting to grab your raft, cram it in your car, go home and float!

You know what I thought was exciting…???  They charged $2.00 more for the inflated version.  So amazingly cool.

Alrightie

How can you use this idea, especially if you don’t sell inner tubes?  Think about the stuff you sell.  What do you sell that requires assembly… assemble it!

PS:  Don’t forget to charge for the air… or assembly!

Try This!  #doinginfinity

Tomorrow… come back for my “Week in Review” Episode!
PS:  Like my vibe? I want you to join my tribe! start here! 

Infinity Marketing Machine Daily Topics:
Monday – Character (Subject Matter Expert)
Tuesday – Content & Consistency
Wednesday – Midweek Motivation
Thursday – Infinity Customers
Friday – Big Money
Saturday – Try This!
Sunday – Week in Review

by Categories: 6- Saturday - Try This!, Business owner motivation, Customers, marketing, Real world, Success tipsTags: , , , , 1 Comment

ProfitCenterCoach.com – Episode 457 – Ask for the Sale.

“Chase the vision, not the money. The money will end up following you.” Tony Hsieh

Friday: Big Money Small Change

Sometimes the best advice is the most obvious.

When you are trying to make more money… ask for the sale!  Today I was on the phone trying to sign up someone for our winter boat storage.  I finished my pitch… there was a pause… I said, “would you like to sign up?” and the answer was, yes!

Normally our customers “think about it” and call back… but it’s a good reminder to just ask.

Now here’s a fun little tid bit, the equivalent online is your call to action.

Just like your phone conversation or letter in the mail… ever leave your post or email without a call to action. Consider it your opportunity to “ask for the sale.”

Your call to action might be your “buy here” button – but again… don’t simply leave it up to the text on the button.

Set the stage.  Even something like, “Imagine your life in 5 years if you buy ____” gear it toward your situation, but do something that helps your customer “hear” your suggestion.

It seems silly to mention “The Next Step” but it’s often overlooked!

Here’s my next step for you… today – create a post where you have a “next step” don’t want to make a post — then do it in your phone call.  See what happens!

Worked for me… 🙂

#doinginfinity

Tomorrow… come back for my episode on “Try This”!
PS:  Like my vibe? I want you to join my tribe! start here! 

 

by Categories: 5- Friday - Big Money, big money, Business owner motivation, DoingInfinity, marketing, Real world, Success tipsTags: , , , , 1 Comment

ProfitCenterCoach.com – Episode #454 – Are You an Impatient Butterfly?

“Stop rushing the process. Instead, perfect the art.”

Tuesday: Content and Consistency

 

Question: How do you write what your tribe wants to read?

My Answer: I don’t think you do… I think you write what YOU want to write.  But I do have a mini-formula that will soon reveal itself.

OK, here’s what I mean by writing what YOU want… I think you write from your heart. You write what inspires you and you simply let it flow.  Get the ideas in your head to flow right on the paper (or keyboard) – adopt a mindset that “it’s important to share”.

Now, here’s the deal.  Focus less on the sentence structure and focus more on message.  When that happens you can focus on a title to grab attention. When that happens, you can include a call to action.

You want your readers to do something… but you have to attract them… and in the middle of all that is… your message.  If you skip a step your message gets lost!

Check this out:

  1.  I create a great message and call to action… but the title is bland.  No one reads it.
  2. I create a great title and message… but no call to action.  It’s read and forgotten.
  3. I create a great title and great call to action… but fluffy message. You lose credibility.

When you change your mindset to creating posts that are helpful and appreciated by your tribe all you have to do is: create a title to attract, create a message that’s useful, and create a call to action to help them.

That’s it.
Easy.

Your map to creating a “perfect” post is simple.  But this does not mean you can rush the process, after all, it is an art.  If we’re impatient, we only have caterpillars.  The world needs beautiful butterflies, not impatient ones.

Take a moment, use this mini-formula, and write one great post… TODAY! Use my Title, Message, Call to Action formula — and don’t forget the hashtag #doinginfinity

Tomorrow… come back for my episode on “Midweek Motivation”!
PS:  Like my vibe? I want you to join my tribe! start here! 

Infinity Marketing Machine Daily Topics:
Monday – Character (Subject Matter Expert)
Tuesday – Content & Consistency
Wednesday – Midweek Motivation
Thursday – Infinity Customers
Friday – Big Money
Saturday – Try This!
Sunday – Week in Review

by Categories: 2-Tuesday - Content & Consistency, Blog content, branding, Content, DoingInfinity, marketing, Real world, Success tips, Tribe BuildingTags: , , , 1 Comment

Episode #452 – A Shopping Destination!

Saturday: Try This

Tonight I walked out to close our gas dock.  This involves making sure that the pumps are locked and that our storage cabinet is also locked.  Well… I opened the cabinet and there was that recognizable smell… not gas… hand sanitizer!

That reminded me of this great idea!

When you offer convenience items for your customers make it into a great experience. Be intentional.  Just like the garden shop I visited recently.

They have the cardboard containers stacked in a wrought iron holder.  The cardboard has the logo of the company on it.  They also have a matching wrought iron holder for the hand sanitizer. This is next to the shopping carts at the front of the store.

These details help with the branding of the company. It creates an impression for your customer.

Sure you could have a pile of cardboard boxes next to the carts – but making this a carefully crafted destination in your store enhances your customer experience!

Try this!

Tomorrow… come back for “The Week in Review”!
PS:  Like my vibe? I want you to join my tribe! start here! 

by Categories: 6- Saturday - Try This!, branding, Business owner motivation, Creative, marketing, Real world, Success tipsTags: , , , 1 Comment